ONE OF South Africa’s most prestigious equestrian fixtures on the annual sporting and social calendar, the Nedbank International Polo, celebrates people who are doing exceptional work to uplift communities in the fields of the arts, environment, sport, and the wellbeing of children.
Nedbank is redefining who we look up to as a society and crowning the new nobles – those that view themselves as noble, no longer by rank or title but as a virtue, thus redefining their role in society.
Nedbank is crowning a ‘New Nobility’ that consists of people like Simanga Matholeni from The Sports Trust and David Mollik from Soshanguve South Secondary School who have both dedicated their time to uplifting their communities through sport and enhancing education through sport.
The Nedbank Sport Affinity Programme helps bridge the gap and provides access to sport development programmes. Matholeni explains that the interventions are mostly targeted at school children and the youth, with the aim of contributing to social cohesion and responsible citizenship from an early age.
To Matholeni, being part of ‘New Nobility’ means being a philanthropist who gives back to communities through investing time and shared expertise in sport. Since 2013, Matholeni has dedicated his time to uplifting his community through the construction of multipurpose sport courts and upgraded sporting facilities, with the purpose of bringing positive change to South African youth through sports and by providing world-class sporting facilities to previously disadvantaged communities.
Ensuring sports bring about a positive impact to township youth is David Mollik, who has over 20 years’ teaching experience and is passionate about supporting his learners both academically and on the sports field, making him a prime example of what it means to be part of the ‘New Nobility’.
Since his school received a world-class multipurpose sports court through the Nedbank Sport Affinity programme, Mollik has used the opportunity to invest in the development of athletes from Soshanguve and surrounding communities.
Mollik is a formidable sports coach who mentored current Mamelodi Sundowns defender, Ofentse Mashiane, and King Khumalo, a South African national gymnast.
“In our district our school has won the secondary school of the year twice in a row, and I have personally won the sports administrator of the year award and the coach of the year once.”
You can also support the development of sport in South Africa by endorsing the Nedbank Sport Affinity programme, which empowers disadvantaged communities.
Or simply go to www.nedbanksport.co.za for more information.
The Polo takes place at Inanda Polo Club, Sandton on Saturday, 22 April 2023.
Image supplied (David Mollik a coach from Soshanguve).
